Vern's trip to MPLS and the Great Holidazzle Parade

Monday-Friday was projects galore! The house is looking better everyday! gerg and I are both stoked with how much progress we've made. Thanks gerg and dad!! I'm sure Home Depot was very happy to be of service to you all week. A measuring cup that mysteriously disappeared revealed itself on Monday night under the dresser! Either we have ghosts, or dad left it there, cuz gerg and I have no idea how it got there.

Also, I'm sure my dad still hasn't removed all the paint from his hands!

Dad and gerg got a ton of stuff done on the house, but we made sure to take the opportunity to take both of our dads out to the Glockenspiel Restaurant in St Paul. It's a great dads-meeting-each-other-for-the-first-time restaurant. Plus, gerg's dad got to check out his new saw. My pops even got to check out the Town Talk Diner while he was in town. I sampled gerg's risotto from the Town Talk and I almost fainted in ecstacy. Try Town Talk's risotto. I mean it!! Also, on Friday night the piano arrived! Jon and I have been playing quite a few tunes. I think it will like living with us for awhile.

We had a nice visit from Bobbi, Brad and Lotus on Wednesday. Ate some clam chowder and nibbled on cookies with coffee and Bailey's. Played with Lotus. Such a cutie!! Check out my crockpot blog for the clam chowder recipe!

Saturday was a great Minneapolis day. Thanks to Ma Nature for sending us 40 degree weather! We headed to the Woodcraft store in Bloomington. What especially appealed to me about this store was the unique variety of tools and products for woodoworkers. It's definitely a specialty store. I fondled a Dozuki "Z" saw while gerg selected a portable stand for his table saw and my dad searched for a hold fast for his saw horse. We watched through a window as some adults sprayed themselves in sawdust attempting to carve wooden bowls.

Drove back with hungry tummies so we stopped at the Midtown Global Market. Dad and gerg grabbed a gordiata and burrito from A la Salsa and I had a hoagie (portobello, artichoke hearts and gouda cheese) from Jakeeno's Trattoria. Also, I enjoyed my customary green tea flavored bubble tea from Pham's Deli. We bought some coffee beans from the Produce Exchange that are a departure from our regular Peace Coffee beans (they've garnered a significant amount of press for "bike delivering" their beans across town).

It was pretty f-ing big! Highlights - dad and I posing with elves, dad and gerg posing as faeries, the walls made of Hershey bars and Pearson's Nut Rolls. Lowlights - people ripping bits off the house for later and the very short indoor tour of the house (I would have like to see more on how the thing was constructed. Was that caulk or frosting?!?) The Mall of America was a great place to visit for 45 minutes. Then, we grabbed coffees and ran out of there as fast as we could cuz we were getting run down by strollers. We stopped for a bit to check out the Apostolic Bible Institute Choir in the Rotunda. I liked the loudness and a capella vocal stylings. It was festive.

Hopped back on the lightrail and headed down to the Nicollet stop for the Holidazzle Parade.

BOY OH BOY!! I underestimated the dazzle and fun of this parade. We exited the train and made a beeline for the nearest parking ramp. We jumped the elevator to the 7th floor and watched the whole event without obstruction! The streets were flooded with people! Highlights - the lightbulb brigade, the University Alumni band in lighted uniforms, and SANTA, of course! Lowlights - NONE! The whole area was swarming after the parade, so we made our way to the nearest establishment to wait for a less crowded train to take us home. We found $1 cocktails from 7pm-8pm. Perfect!

Headed back home to play some euchre with Jon on Saturday night. Jon and dad kicked our butts. Lesson learned.